Three social scientists at UC Santa Cruz were honored for teaching and research during the annual fall convocation hosted Oct. 7 by the dean of the Division of Social Sciences.
Recipients of the division's 2008-09 Distinguished Teaching Awards are:
. Kent Eaton, professor of politics
. Ralph Quinn, lecturer in psychology
Eaton's work in comparative politics, international relations, political institutions, and the politics of economic development has taken him to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines, and Uruguay.
Quinn, who won a Golden Apple Award in 1992, has inspired UCSC students for 25 years. He teaches courses on clinical psychology, psychology and religion, and humanistic psychology, and he also supervises field-study students.
The Division of Social Sciences established the "Golden Apple Awards" in 1991 to recognize outstanding undergraduate teaching in the division. The awards carry a $2,500 cash prize, which is split equally among recipients. The Dean of Social Sciences selects recipients from a list of recommendations compiled by a faculty committee based on nominations submitted by department chairs. This year the selection committee was chaired by Heather Bullock, associate professor of psychology and chair of the Center for Justice, Tolerance, and Community. The committee also included Gabriela Arredondo, associate professor of Latin American and Latino studies, and Rod Ogawa, professor of education.
In addition, anthropology professor Adrienne Zihlman received the 2009 Martin M. Chemers Award for Outstanding Research in the Division of Social Sciences. The award was established in 2007 by social sciences dean Sheldon Kamieniecki to honor the contributions of Chemers, a professor of psychology and former acting chancellor of UCSC. It recognizes a senior faculty member who has made a major impact on her or his discipline through research and publications. Zihlman is internationally renowned for her research focus on the comparative functional anatomy and locomotion of apes and humans. She received $2,500 and an etched crystal award.
The following awards were also presented during the convocation:
2009 Staff Recognition Award in the Division of Social Sciences (each recipient received $1,500 and a plaque):
Debbie Neal, department manager in anthropology
Gina Wilkins, doctoral advisor and academic coordinator in education
Milam-McGinty-Kaun Award for Distinguished Teaching ($1,200 each):
Jinzhuo Zhao of economics
Nicholas Janos of sociology
The Walsh Family Scholarship in the Division of Social Sciences ($2,000):
Laura Christina Larson-Cody of environmental studies
